


Within the Leaf

by Enchantedtalisman



Category: Naruto
Genre: Eventual Relationships, Genjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, M/M, Self-Indulgent, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24561160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantedtalisman/pseuds/Enchantedtalisman
Summary: Time is almost meaningless to someone with the right abilities.Genjutsu in particular.To Genjutsu time is;fast, slow, or a standstill.
Relationships: Sarutobi Asuma/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	Within the Leaf

**Author's Note:**

> One day I will stop feeling indecesive about my fiction and just post it full heartedly. I'm getting there but it'd be nice to feel like that all the time.
> 
> pretty self indulgent, because there are like zero Genjutsu Naruto fics, like he'd be perfect for it he loves traps and misdirection in the beginning. Sigh.

Time is almost meaningless to someone with the right abilities.

Genjutsu in particular.

To Genjutsu time is;

fast, slow, or a standstill.

The world can fade into the abyss of nothingness. The subtle and complex art even with that power is still considered something for parlor tricks or used sparingly in ways that keep the opponent from getting their way.

Naruto has never truly understood the subtle arts until Kurenai had mentioned that it was like layering traps over and over. It had clicked then, and still does now. Genjutsu is the chakra basis for traps. To says Naruto had dived into the Art after that conversation would be like saying a Blue Whale was just _large_.

Of course, Kurenai's tutelage is what really brings him to a level that can fight even the Sharingan (Which Kurenai has done multiple times in the past herself). Naruto's own creativity is what causes his body to stop aging, what allows him to bend time to his will. And what allows this insane plan to work.

"Time is meaningless to a Genjutsu Master, Naruto-kun," Kurenai had said once, revealing her withered and burnt hand caused by one of Madara's forbidden jutsu, in less then a blink of an eye, her hand returned to it's pristine condition.

The only downisde is that Kurenai refuses to come with him, not when the remaining forces under the New Hokage, Kurenai herself, is breaking through Madara's own zetsu army. When there's hope for her and her child.

But Naruto wants his team back, wants more to survive, and so they part ways.

"The time you enter will diverge from our own Naruto-kun, remember I'm also a Genjutsu Master and I refuse to be written over." Kurenai says possibly one of the few times she's ever disagreed so vehemently with Naruto.

Naruto doesn't disagree on that part at least, "I wouldn't want to lose my favorite teacher."

A flicker of a smile is the final way Naruto sees Kurenai's face before his departure. Layer upon layer upon layer of genjutsu, until Naruto almost feels smothered, and he _twists_ time into itself and disappears.

Naruto arrives in a quiet whisper of wind. And the sound of shattering of glass as his Genjutsus break apart. He's admittedly a little burnt, and without Kurama to heal him up, has to use his meager medical skills. It's pure luck and determination that Naruto had learned the simplest form of healing jutsu thanks to Sakura before her passing. When he can't heal anymore with medical jutsu, he of course twines Genjutsu, making his body think it's healed is much easier than medical jutsu but he's determined to learn the latter.

Of course now that he's back in the past, he can hopefully get Tsunade-sama to teach him herself.

For now, Naruto examines his surroundings and isn't quite sure where he is. Somewhere near Land of Water perhaps? It has enough trees that he figures he's closer to Fire Country. A quick flash of handseals has a web of distraction across his body. He can figure out the exact time and dates later. For now he has a younger self to take care of.

It may be a reckless thing to do, but Naruto has no intention of his childhood self or his teammates suffering. Unfortunately he doubts he had the chakra to go all the way before the Massacre (especially considering how far he went back caused actual physical symptoms) but he can at least help train them in ways Kakashi clearly didn't want too.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Naruto starts walking, and then jogging, and then sprinting. It's amazing feeling so light. Without the need of several genjutsu to hide his presence from Madara and Zetsu he can move much more quickly and it doesn't feel as stifling.

Surprisingly, the best part is the _trees_ , trees were around but not to the depths or vast swathes that they are in this time. Naruto immediately starts flying through them, with barely there touches of chakra boosting him past several branches with each 'jump'. He doesn't need much chakra at all, and it feels good to know that he will have plenty of chakra by the time Konoha appears.

The Time-Genjutsu itself had left him with a pitiful amount and it's only because of the control Kurenai had instilled in him that he's even standing right now much less running.

 _Naruto, I'm coming_ , Naruto thinks and bites back a giggle. It should be stranger to be thinking on finding his younger self and raising him, but there's not much else he wants to do, perhaps he should focus on Madara or the Akatsuki but they can be handled later. His main concern are his teammates and obviously Naruto-kun.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, Kudos are all lovely.
> 
> As an aside;
> 
> Amal is a long standing reader since the age of thirteen; he/him pronouns, he loves anything to do with fantasy and sci fi as long as it's not painfully heteronormative/albiest/homophobic/intentionally very dark/gritty. He also has a ridiculously needy pup by the name of Little Bear.
> 
> Out of all the things Amal wants to do is put as much good into the world as he can before he meets Anubis.
> 
> You can find more of Amal's silliness/writing at;  
>  [Wordpress](https://enchantedtalisman.wordpress.com/blog/)  
> [Tumblr](https://enchantedtalisman.tumblr.com)  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ForlornGriffon)
> 
> ~All the love friendlies


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